Solenoid

How it reads

Solenoid is literary fiction (philosophical literary fiction, specifically), and its dominant mood is melancholy. It's quietly sad, wistful and reflective. It's a slow burn: character-driven, with a payoff that comes from accumulation rather than twists. It rewards attention and suits unhurried reading more than five-minute gaps.

It's set in a big city setting, in the recent past, told in the first person by a single narrator. Its central concerns are identity, art and creativity and loss and grief. In weight it's heavy and literary — denser, more serious, and more demanding of you.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending is left open, for you to argue about. At 672 pages it's a real commitment. It's moderately known: read by plenty of people, but not a household name.